How to Increase Instagram Followers (23 Tips to Try in 2024) 

Ready to grow your followers? Dive into our complete guide! We’ve got all the tricks and tips to help you turbocharge your follower count. From crafting awesome content to riding the hashtag wave and teaming up with others, you’ll learn how to grow your Instagram crew naturally and have some real fun doing it!

List of Top Ways to Increase Your Instagram Followers

1. Choose the Right Instagram Handle

Getting found on Instagram is all about making it easy for people to locate your profile. Instagram’s search function looks at just two things: your name and your username.

Username: This is basically your Instagram name, the one with the “@” in front. To boost your discoverability, try to keep it consistent with your usernames on other social media platforms. Go for your brand name or a variation of your own name that people often search for.

Name: You’ve got a bit of creative freedom here, but you’ve got to keep it under 30 characters. Avoid going overboard with keywords, but slipping in a relevant one can up your chances of catching the eye of potential followers.

2. Optimise your Instagram Bio

Creating an engaging Instagram bio is super important because it’s often the first thing new visitors see. And with just 150 characters, keeping it short and sweet is the way to go. Use keywords to make it easier for people to find you. Check out this example below.

Instead of just throwing out your credentials or catchphrases, give people a sneak peek of what they can expect:

• Sharing dog training tips and heartwarming moments.
• Join us for money insights and binary options.
• Your go-to for marketing advice and side-splitting memes.
• Spilling the beans on cooking hacks for beginners.

Make the most of that one bio link by switching it up every two weeks. Point your followers to fresh content, special deals, or cool landing pages.

Tools like Linktree make it a breeze to share multiple links, making it easier for your peeps to hop from your posts to the good stuff online.

3. Design an Aesthetic Instagram Feed

In today’s online world, think of your Instagram page as your all-in-one resume, portfolio, and website.

While perfection isn’t a must, first impressions really count. You’ve only got a few seconds to say hello and show off your brand style. That’s why having a captivating Instagram look can make a big difference in whether someone decides to follow you or just keep scrolling.

Every post on your Instagram grid should be super awesome and look really appealing. When someone new checks out your profile, your pictures and videos should make them curious and excited to see more (and hopefully hit that Follow button!).

4. Craft Engaging and Informative Captions

Instagram is all about the visuals, but don’t underestimate the power of a great caption to boost your reach and interactions. Here are some friendly tips:

• Front-Load Important Words: If your caption is a bit longer, the first few words matter. People might have to click “more” to see it all, so use those opening words to grab their attention.
• Ask a Question: Get your audience involved by asking a question. It’s a simple way to encourage comments, making more people see your post.
• Incorporate Emoji: Spice up your captions with emoji! Just make sure they make sense with what you’re saying. They can add some extra pizzazz to your message.
• Experiment with Caption Length: Longer captions can boost engagement, but if your picture tells the story on its own, short and sweet captions can work too. Match your caption length to your post’s needs and what you want to say.

5. Make Use of Relevant Hashtags to Find New Followers

Did you know that the text in your Instagram posts doesn’t show up in searches? But don’t worry, that’s where hashtags come to the rescue.

Using hashtags smartly can be like magic for growing your Instagram followers naturally. You can even create your very own branded hashtags.

People can even follow hashtags, which means your posts might pop up in the feeds of people who haven’t followed you yet.

You can actually use up to 30 hashtags in one Instagram post, but it’s best to be a bit selective. Play around and find the sweet spot for your account. See how Rosa skillfully incorporates hyper-relevant hashtags like #SkincareTips into her captions? This savvy strategy ensures that her content is effortlessly discoverable to users.

Oh, and one more thing – avoid those hashtag tricks like #likeforlike or #followme. While they might bring a quick wave of followers, they often don’t really care about what makes you and your content special. Building a meaningful and engaged audience is where it’s at on Instagram.

6. Make the Most of All the Formats

Instagram is pretty cool because it’s not just about posting pics. It’s a whole playground for showing off your brand in different ways:

• Feed Posts: These are like your top-notch photos and videos that make a real impression. 
• Stories: Think of Stories as your place for quick, real, and off-the-cuff stuff. It’s where you get personal with your audience.
• Reels: This is where you go all out on fun and entertaining videos. It’s like your stage to shine and keep people hooked.
• Lives: Live videos are awesome for tutorials or Q&A sessions. It’s like having a real-time chat with your audience.

By mixing it up with these formats, you’re giving people a 360-degree view of your business. And that makes it more likely they’ll connect with your brand and hit that follow button!

7.  Make Your Content Worth Sharing

Your followers are like hungry little content seekers, always looking for something valuable and inspiring. So, when planning your posts, think about creating content that’s so good people can’t help but share it.

One thing to try is making infographics. They’re like those eye-catching, super shareable graphics that can give your followers some of your expert knowledge. And if someone puts your Instagram post in their blog, that’s like a whole new crowd seeing your content and maybe even following you!

Plus, here’s a neat trick: people can reshare your posts in their Instagram Stories, which are interactive. So, if someone’s curious, they can click through to your original post. It’s an easy way to reach more people and make new followers!

8. Get the Most Out of Stories Highlights

You know that feeling when you’ve put your heart and soul into an Instagram Story, and you don’t want it to vanish after just 24 hours? Well, that’s where Pinned Stories Highlights come to the rescue!

You can use Highlights to keep your best content hanging around on your profile. It’s like a showcase of your top content, telling new visitors why they should follow you.

Oh, and don’t forget about the cover photos for your Highlights. Those little images are like the welcome mat to your content, making your profile even more awesome! Check out how Kylie Cosmetics has made the most of its story highlights.

9. Regularly Produce High-Quality Content

Let’s talk about something super important for your social media game, and it’s not just about Instagram – it goes for all your social platforms.

Sure, creating awesome content is a no-brainer. But here’s the thing many people miss: being consistent. It’s not just about that one amazing post that gets you followers; it’s about keeping that awesome content train rolling. When you’re in the spotlight, people expect to see cool things from you regularly. You might lose those hard-earned followers if you can’t keep up the good work.

So, what’s the recipe for great content on Instagram (and beyond)?

• Useful: Make sure your content is helpful. It should relate to what you do and what your audience cares about. That means tips, facts, news, and fresh ideas.
• Thoughtful: Tailor your content to match what your audience values, how they live, and what kind of people they are.
• Interactive: Keep things fun! Engage with your followers using polls, questions, live sessions, contests, and stuff that they want to share with others.
• Entertaining: Make your content pop! Use cool designs, movement, emotions, humour, and videos, and be bold. Keep your audience glued to their screens.

10. Geotag your Posts to Help People Find your Business

Here’s a little Instagram trick to make your posts and Stories more discoverable – use location tags! These tags can tell people where you are, like the city or the spot where you took your content.

Now, what’s neat about location tags is they have their own special Instagram feed and Story, just like hashtags do. So, when you use the location sticker in your Stories, you’re basically joining that club.

For local businesses, this is pure gold. If you keep posting content with location tags and interact with posts from potential customers who are nearby, you’ll see some awesome perks.

11. Tag Users who are Relevant to the Content

Tagging people on Instagram is a piece of cake! You can do it by using the @-mention in your caption or by using Instagram’s tagging feature in your post.

When you tag someone, they get a heads-up, and that usually gets them excited to engage with your post and maybe even share it. Plus, your post will appear in the Tagged section on their Instagram profile.

You can also tag people in your Instagram Stories. They can easily share your content to their own Story with just a couple of taps, which lets their viewers check out your account, too.

But here’s the golden rule:

• Be careful.
• Don’t go tagging people to grab their attention.
• Use tagging for people in your photo or have something to do with your post’s content.

It could be customers, suppliers, businesses related to your post, colleagues, mentors, or anyone in the pic. Keep it relevant and respectful! 

12. Cross-promote your Instagram Posts on Other Platforms

Want more followers on Instagram without breaking the bank? Let’s make it happen!

First, make sure people can find you. If you’ve got a fanbase on another social platform, give them a heads-up about your Instagram page. Share the link and sweeten the deal with something cool, like an exclusive coupon, event news, or a fun contest.

If you’re starting from scratch on Instagram, it’s smart to build a little content foundation first. Try for at least 12 posts to show you’re the real deal.

And don’t forget to show off your best Instagram posts on your other social spots. You can even give them a boost with some paid advertising.

13. Collaborate with Other Brands, Creators, and Influencers

Let’s talk about a cool way to grow on social media – teaming up with like-minded people and brands! It’s like getting a boost for your follower count.

The best part? You don’t have to break the bank. Most partnerships can be simple and beneficial for everyone involved.

And you don’t have to aim for the big-shot influencers. Those smaller ones, like nano and micro-influencers, often have super-engaged audiences and are easier on the budget when it comes to sponsored content.

But here’s the catch: to reach as many people as a big influencer, you might need to partner up with a bunch of these smaller ones. It’s all about finding the right fit for your capacity and budget.

14. Do Contests/Giveaways

Want to see your Instagram following skyrocket? Hosting a giveaway is like a turbo boost! When you do it right, you can introduce your brand to many potential new followers and strengthen your community.

Here’s the key: Set clear entry rules that match your growth goals. You can ask people to tag a friend in the comments, share your post on their Instagram Stories, or follow your account to join the fun.

And what makes giveaways even better? Doing them with someone else, like a creator or brand after the same followers like this example below.

15.  Promote your Instagram in Diverse Communications

Don’t stop at your social media pages – let’s spread the word about your Instagram far and wide!

Blend your Instagram link into different places, like your website, email signature, and newsletters. You don’t need to make it huge – a cute little Instagram icon works perfectly.

If you’re starting a new Instagram account, send a quick email blast. It’s a nifty way to get some free followers rolling in.

And here’s a neat trick: don’t forget about the real world! Add your Instagram handle to things like coasters, posters, and even your business cards and packages. It’s a simple move to help you snag more followers without a hitch!  

16. Promote User-Generated Content

Do you know what’s even better than your own business promoting itself? It’s when your customers do it for you! That’s where user-generated content (UGC) comes into play – posts from others that mention or feature your business somehow.

When people see UGC on your profile or someone else’s, it makes your business look legit, and it’s more likely they’ll want to follow you. Here’s how you can get more of this content:

• Make a catchy branded hashtag. 
• Create a place that’s Instagram-friendly so people can take pictures there.
• Get busy interacting with and sharing user-generated content.
• Run fun contests that get people posting photos with your product.

17. Make an AR Filter

Have you ever seen those Instagram Stories with fun stuff like dog ears or quizzes that tell you what emoji you are? Those are AR filters, and they’re like magic for your photos!

Guess what? Now, anyone can make their own AR filter on Instagram. It gets its own special spot on your profile. And if your filter isn’t about promoting anything, it can even show up in the Instagram Stories effects gallery for everyone to use.

When someone uses your AR filter, your Instagram name pops up in the corner, and you can click on it. That means a bunch of new people might check out your profile and maybe even follow you.

18. Consider using Instagram Ads

Ever thought about using Instagram ads? They’re like a turbo boost for getting new followers fast. Your content shows up in front of people who might never see it otherwise.

Unlike buying followers, Instagram ads are totally legit and a smart way to get more followers without breaking the bank.

The coolest thing? You can aim these ads right at the people you want to reach. You can enable precise audience targeting with location, demographics, and even key behaviours and interests. You can even find new people who are like the ones who already follow you.

But it’s not just about regular posts – you can show up in Instagram Stories and the Explore feed too.

19. Competitor Analysis

Feeling like your competition is leaving you in the dust? No worries, you can catch up with some social media sleuthing!

Here’s the plan: spend a week keeping an eye on what they’re up to. Check out how often they post, what kind of content they’re sharing, when they post, and the way they do it. You might uncover some tricks and ideas you can use to shine on Instagram and grab more followers.

20. Examine Top-Performing Content

When you’re checking how well your brand is doing on Instagram, keep an eye on something super important: reach.

Reach tells you how many different accounts saw your post.

Now, if a post gets way more (or way fewer) views than your usual, that’s a goldmine of info for your future content.

Take a moment to think about the hashtags you used. Was your caption calling people to action in a way that gets them chatting? Did you post when your audience is most active? Did you notice any trends in the kind of pics you shared? Looking into these things can help you fine-tune your Instagram game and get your followers more engaged.

21. Ask for More Followers

You know, sometimes, the simplest things work like a charm. And one of those things is just asking your audience to follow you.

It’s like how YouTubers ask viewers to subscribe at the end of their videos. You can do the same on Instagram. Sometimes, people really like your content but just need a little reminder to hit that follow button.

You can drop a friendly hint in the comments, slip it into your captions, or even sneak it into your content. Let them know what content they’ll get by following you or what exciting content is coming up.

22. Keep Up with the Latest Trends

Want to get more likes and be seen by more people? Easy! Just keep an ear to the ground for what’s hot right now.

Match your posts and hashtags with these trends, but here’s the key: make sure your content is actually helpful and something your audience cares about.

Stay trendy, but keep it real and in tune with what your followers like.

23. Make Use of Instagram Tools

Here’s a little secret to make your Instagram life easier: use some tools!

These tools can help you schedule your posts, give you super useful info about how your posts are doing, and even suggest the perfect hashtags.

Some popular ones to check out are Hootsuite, Later, Linktree, and plenty more.

Conclusion

By mixing real content with smart hashtags, staying connected, and using the best tools, you’re on the road to Instagram stardom.
Remember, getting followers is good, but about more than numbers. You’re building a crew of people who love what you do. So, keep being you, shining, and watch your Instagram world light up!

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